


Motherly love

by FreddieFoxBaxter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: EWE, Gen, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post War, Post-Canon, Post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, magic trials, minor original characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreddieFoxBaxter/pseuds/FreddieFoxBaxter
Summary: A brief moment in Narcissa’s trial helps Harry understand her better (and feel envious of Draco for the first time)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo





	Motherly love

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was "Tied to a chair", I usually set my fics a few years into the future to avoid all the Post-war unpleasantness, but this time I wanted to try something new.
> 
> Enjoy!

“So, Mrs. Malfoy” Williamson continued right after the break “we heard Mr. Potter testimony on your behalf, but we still have some questions for you”.

Harry rolled his eyes. The Wizengamot had formed a special jury to handle the surviving Death Eaters’ trials and they had interrogated Draco and Narcissa for days now; every detail of their last year before the war picked apart to the point that even their most blood-thirsty detractors had given up and left the chamber, leaving the room half empty. Harry sat there, alone. He made a vow to himself, he would start his new life repaying all of his debts, and that included Draco Malfoy and his mother.

He had no tears to shed for Lucius, the man could rot in Azkaban for all he cared, but the insufferable git and his mother both saved his life, and directly contributed to his final victory, so Harry felt compelled to speak up for them. That’s why he had spent that very morning talking about the two episodes in question.

He explained to the jury how Draco looked right at his face and then lied to his family, how that lie had given the Golden trio the chance to escape Malfoy Manor before Voldemort could get there.

His voice had broke while he was talking about what happened in the forest during the battle of Hogwarts, because that was still a painful memory for him, but he made sure it was crystal clear that Narcissa Malfoy had lied to Voldemort face, and how that very lie had brought directly to the wizard’s death.

He wished he could leave, but, by the looks he kept receiving, his presence was a strong signal in favour of the two accused.

“The main question, ma’am,” Williamson said, “what made you lie to You-Know-Who?”

“Your honor,” Narcissa replied, “the reason is quite simple, I lied because Mr. Potter wasn’t dead”.

Her words were met with incredulity and confusion. A buzz ran through the members of the jury. Harry himself frowned and raise his gaze to look at the woman. She was pale, her face thinner than he remembered. Heavy chains tied her to her chair, and yet the expression on her face was a calm one, peaceful almost. Narcissa Malfoy stared directly at the jury like a queen on her throne, looking down on the peasants that dared bother her.

That arrogance might not bow well for her, but Harry had to repress a smile. The woman had spent nine months in Azkaban now, but that didn’t seem to have crushed her spirit at all.

“Lord Voldemort…” 

“We don’t use that name” a witch in the second row interrupted. Harry didn’t recognize her, but he instantly disliked her. Voldemort had been very much dead for months now. His body magically incinerated, along with every single one of his possession, down to his clothes and undergarments, just to be sure. He couldn’t believe people was still scared of his damn name.

“The Dark Lord had him,” the woman tried once more, “I was there. The boy came to us, defenseless and alone. If he had his wand with him he didn’t use it. The Dark Lord hit him with the Avada Kedavra, right in his chest, and still, the boy wasn’t dead”. Narcissa’s voice was collected and all too calm, like she was talking about some mundane affairs.

“That’s when I knew. The boy was going to win, so I had a choice. Tell the Dark Lord the truth and accept all the consequences of such a foolish decision, or I could lie to him”.

Narcissa paused for a few seconds, while the room was swept with tension. Harry imagined all the wizards and witches presents were pondering the choice the woman had to make, and he was sure they all thought they were brave enough to make the right one, but they simply weren’t  _ there _ . Harry himself still had nightmares about that night, he woke up in the dark, screaming and sweating, unable to go back to sleep for hours after one of those. They weren’t there. They didn’t know. Harry always felt a glimpse of respect for Narcissa, whatever the reason behind her choice, but he couldn’t deny he was curious about it.

“Mr. Potter had just confirmed my son was still alive, and I wasn’t about to let my only child be on the losing side. So I lied. And now my son and my husband are both alive” she concluded with a glare at the door on her right, where the prisoners were held to wait for their turn in front of the jury and, Harry figured, Draco was waiting for his next round of questions.

Harry caught Narcissa’s eyes, and realized the woman was completely at peace with herself and her future. Her son survival was her only goal, and she managed that. That was probably the reason why she didn’t seem worried about the possibility of spending the next several years at Azkaban. Her sacrifice would be worth it, as long as she didn’t have to bury her son.

Harry clenched his fists. He would have hated Malfoy even more, hadn’t he have heard the boy himself tell the jury how he had took the Mark in the attempt to keep his mother safe, and the jury seemed to agree with him. Draco was used as a sacrificial lamb to pay for Lucius mistakes, and the Mark on his arm was the worst crime the boy had committed.

He didn’t know if Malfoy had been lucky, or if it was the result of a smart strategy, but the boy had managed to go through the war without killing or hurting anybody. He had spent the last year locked in Malfoy Manor, mostly unbothered, because there was no lack of Death Eaters eager to prove themselves to Voldemort.

Judging by what Harry had learnt about her during the proceedings, he suspected Narcissa played a big role in achieving all of that. The woman managed to keep herself and her son safe despite the uncertainty of the conditions they were forced to live in. 

He felt a touch of envy towards Malfoy; just like his mother, Malfoy’s had put her own life on the line to protect her son. They both stood their ground in the face of evil to save their children life and they both won their battle. The only difference, he thought, was that Narcissa survived hers and had spent the last few months getting ready for the next one.


End file.
